Student Activist Faces New Charges in Prison

Student activist Mahdieh Golroo’s husband told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Golroo, arrested in December 2009 and currently at Evin Prison, has been informed of new charges against her. “I do not know how someone who is in prison could disturb public order! It’s amazing! Nowhere in the world would someone, whose court ruling has been issued and is serving her sentence, be informed of new charges. What could she have done to disturb public order from inside the prison?,” said Vahid Lalipour, the Student activist’s husband.

Mahdieh Golroo, who is a member of the Right to Education Council, has been under visitation ban for the last two weeks. She is now with the rest of female political prisoners inside Evin Prison’s Methadone Ward. Yesterday she was charged with “disturbing public order” at Branch 4 of Evin Prison Court. “I do not know, I try not to think about the reasons any more,” said Vahid Lalipour when asked about the reasons for the new charges.

“Today I contacted everyone I could to see Mahdieh, or to at least find out how long her visitation ban would continue, but no one was accountable. I went to the Prosecutor’s Office, the Evin Prison Court, and to the prison, but they all said ‘we don’t know about this, just like you.’ It is now two weeks that I don’t have any news about Mahdieh. No contact, and no visit,” Mahdieh Golroo’s husband said about her visitation ban.

“We’ve only heard from families of Mahdieh’s prison-mates that she is alright and has ended her hunger strike. Mahdieh’s prison-mates talk to their families about her and other banned-from-visitation prisoners , and those families contact us and gives us the news. We only know that Mahdieh is alright,” Vahid Lalipour said.

Mahdieh Golroo was arrested on 2 December 2009, along with her husband, at their place of residence. Her husband, who has never had any political or civic activities and apparently was arrested to put Golroo under pressure for confessions, was released on bail after three months. Mahdieh Golroo, however, was charged with “interviews with foreign media,” “acting against national security,” and “contact with Mojahedin-e Khalgh Organization (MEK).” She was sentenced to two years and four months in prison.

It is said that the new charge against Mahdieh Golroo is related to letters attributed to her on the occasion of Student Day (7 December). The letters were published in the media, and were well-received in student circles inside and outside the country. Bahareh Hedayat and Majid Tavakoli are two other imprisoned students who have received similar charges due to writing a joint letter from prison on the occasion of Student Day.